Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ presented by KASK. This will be the watchword for the final day of the major international competition at Pala RAM in Hall 8 at Fieracavalli, which has once again been the exceptional host for the only Italian stage of the World Cup this year.
While everyone warms up and focuses on the highlight of the Verona event, it is always a pleasure to meet and exchange ideas on the competition with the big names on the circuit between the practice arenas, the stables and the competition arena. In a few hours’ time, they will all be competing for ranking points and the substantial prize money reserved for tomorrow’s Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ presented by KASK
Around the showground – chatting with the riders at Jumping Verona
Robert Whitaker, Great Britain – For me highlight of 2025 definitely winning the Derby and the King’s Cup at Hickstead in the same year! Gentleman won the Derby and Vermento won the King’s Cup!
It has been really good for us, obviously Gentleman and Vermento jumped so good, also most shows have been successful and also we’ve got a lot of good young horses that have been jumping good as well. I’ve got Strike a Pose here, he’s only eight so a bit short of experience but he’s going to be a really useful horse. And we’ve got some nice seven-year-olds and six-year-olds that are looking good.
I’ve only had Gentleman for a year, he’s an older horse, he’s 19, he just wants to please you. He’s very kind-natured – he came from Tim Gredley – and for his age he always comes out fresh, he feels very young. He’s just a really nice horse to have around.
Vermento is very special. We’ve had him from a young horse – he’s 12 now – and for a stallion he’s got an amazing temperament. He’s very big but he’s very kind in the stable so he’s good to have around as well. He’s got a day off today, and tomorrow he’s got the World Cup. Gentleman’s got the big class tonight and then Strike a Pose has the 1.50m this afternoon.
Strike a Pose is actually by Catwalk who I used to ride before and he’s very similar – he looks similar, same kind of temperament and same style of jumping.
My groom Harriet has been with me about six years now – we make a good team. She understands the horses and looks after them to a very high standard and we get along well. The job of the groom is so important because it’s difficult to concentrate on your job if you don’t have confidence in the people working with you. Harriet is great!
Olivier Philippaerts, Belgium – I’ve been quite a few times to Verona, I always enjoy it because it’s a show for all kinds of people who visit to watch all different things, or the shops, or the top of the sport. Verona makes us always very welcome as riders and the show is always full of people. This year there are a few changes, different flatwork arenas and a new stable area so they really try to make the best for us.
I have brought Miro who I have a couple of years and Dixie Moon who is 11 years old – actually her first three-star Grand Prix at the beginning of the year and should jump the Grand Prix today. We have to wait and see if I qualify for the World Cup tomorrow. And I’ve got Qualithina – a nine-year-old black mare which we’ve owned since she was six, and now H&M try to keep her for me. Potentially she is a very good horse, a very, very careful horse, I really like this horse but I think I need to take her step-by-step and give her the time she needs.
This year has been a bit of a transit year of horses, I sold quite a lot of my horses end of last year and beginning of this year so I try to have a few new ones and try to build up a new string for next year and hopefully by then I can pick up the level where I left it last year!
This is our business that we live from, we have to sell them to keep on going and we’ve sold so many of the best ones I’ve had, so I try to get some new horses, I’ve got a very good nine-year-old and eight-year-old so hopefully by next year we make more steps forward!
I always want to keep the good ones because they are the ones we need to jump the sport and it’s never easy to let them go but there is no other option for us. We do have to sell them and buy new ones, that is what we live from, but we always find and produce new ones so I’m pretty confident that in the next couple of years we’ll have a new string back at the top!
Scott Brash, Great Britain who is a visitor at Jumping Verona this year….
I’m not competing here in Verona this year but it’s a great show. I really enjoy coming. All the sponsors are here and it’s a place a lot of supporters come too, so it’s nice to come and meet up with them all. It’s a great city to visit as well!
In 2025 winning in Spruce Meadows was the highlight for me, it’s a tough Grand Prix and Jefferson jumping fantastic so I was delighted to win one of the biggest Grand Prix classes in the world! I also had a very good show in Barcelona with nice results, Folie winning the Grand Prix on the Friday night and then Jefferson helping Team Great Britain win the League of Nations Final. These were two big highlights but we’ve had a very good season and I’ve been very lucky, I’ve had a very good year.
Richard Vogel, Germany – Last year I set my mind on the European Championship, and I made it! Next year brings a very special venue for us Germans and I think for every rider in the world. There is the World Championships in Aachen so for us to have these Championships at home at a venue like Aachen is something outstanding and we are very much looking forward to it.
For me this season the highlight of course was winning the European Championship. To win a medal at a Championship is something very special and at our first European Championship to bring back the gold medal with United Touch was incredible and something I will never forget.
I’m so thankful to have him. He has taught me so much, we grew together as a very good partnership over the last years, our first major win was in Stuttgart and then after the Rolex Grand Prix win in Geneva everyone knew him and he put himself on the map. And still now he is getting better and better, and to have him jumping clear three days in a row at the Europeans in A Coruna this year was just fantastic. I was very happy and proud I could give him this medal!
